


The Universe (and it was made for you)

by ganymedejam



Category: Apex Legends (Video Games)
Genre: Drabble, Friends to Lovers, Gender-Neutral Pronouns, Love Confessions, Other, Reader-Insert, Romance, Self-Insert, artur took a vacation, bloodhound reveals their face, gender neutral reader, reader has intense emotions
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:53:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24316861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ganymedejam/pseuds/ganymedejam
Summary: "You declared the most important thing that you’ve been waiting such a long time to say. 'Do you know… that the first time I saw you hunt, you took my breath away?'"You've harbored feelings for Bloodhound for a long while now, but you've never said anything and you don't know how they feel about you. They allow you to accompany them on one of their hunts, and you end up pushed to the brink that you can't help but burst, and end up spilling your emotions for them. (Artur is conveniently not around to break the tension)
Relationships: Bloodhound (Apex Legends)/Reader, Bloodhound (Apex Legends)/You
Comments: 17
Kudos: 95





	The Universe (and it was made for you)

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this all day because it was bouncing around in my head after I listened to "Saturn" by Sleeping At Last. I'll write the specific lyrics that inspired this because I don't wanna spoil the moment.
> 
> Another self-indulgent piece because I am absolutely in love with Bloodhound's character and have not been so committed to learning more about a character than I am with them. I tried to keep everything as gender neutral as possible for both Bloth and the reader. I have a bias in terms of headcanon about Bloth's ASAB, which I hope did not show through here so everyone can imagine what Bloth looks like however they choose. The one thing I'm majorly disappointed about is that I completely forgot to write Artur in, and to be honest I don't feel like going back and editing our dear feathered friend in. I hope he will not be missed too much in this!
> 
> Also to note: reader's personality is a lot like me -- someone who possesses intense, explosive emotions, which is counter to how Bloth typically expresses theirself. I wanted this to be a one-shot where the romantic part fell more on the reader to express and for Bloodhound to receive, rather it being clearly 50/50 in terms of how they both feel from the get-go. Usually, the reader is receiving the "stars in their eyes" confession from the character, but I really wanted it to be the other way around, especially since I think Bloth isn't the type to confess that way.

You and Bloodhound were looting around the Skyhook in World’s Edge one day when you spotted the dense forest far off on the horizon to the north. There was a lull in the battle so you thought to ask, “Hey, Blothhundr. You’re from here, right? I remember you mentioning it.”

Bloodhound visibly stiffened and replied in a slightly put-off tone. “Yes. I am.”

You panicked a little, feeling like your stomach dropped to your feet just then. “I’m sorry! I didn’t mean…” You paused. “I know what happened here. It must not be easy for you to have to fight here.”

“How I feel does not matter. If the Gods desire it, I will go where I must.”

“I know, but… I wouldn't blame you for feeling upset by it. I’m sorry if it hurt to remind you.” You put your hand on their bicep as a sign of comfort. “I was just wondering about that forest out there,” you said, jutting your chin out to show the direction you were talking about. “There’s no buildings. Um… outsiders haven’t touched it yet, huh?”

Bloodhound tilted their head as they looked, and suddenly there was a soft kindness to their voice, like they were speaking with a smile behind their mask. “Oh yes. That place is still wild. That’s where my first trial was. I still hunt there sometimes.”

“Hunt? What do you hunt for?”

They mumbled something in their language, and replied “What’s the word… ‘creatures.’ I cannot translate the names.”

“You hunt a lot even when you’re not in the Games?” you asked. They bumped your shoulder with theirs playfully, and responded with a chuckle, “Hunting in the Games is glory in its own not for myself. Now, hunting wild things in my own time is something that belongs to me only.”

You smiled and poked their arm, “Can I come with you? Can I watch you hunt?” Bloodhound turned their head to regard you, genuinely curious. “You wish that, _félagi_ fighter?”

Them calling you “ _félagi_ ” always made you blush a bit, and feeling kind of embarrassed, you told them “Uh… I was kinda joking, but yes if you want me there? Like you said, hunting is ‘yours.’” They watched your mouth curl into a bigger smile. “Share things like that only with the ones you think are worthy.”

“Do you think you are worthy?” They inclined their head at you, the trinkets dangling from their helmet tinkling in the breeze as they did so. Bloodhound didn’t say that to be rude--they genuinely wanted to know what you thought.

You rocked back and forth on your heels, your lips pressed together for a moment as you searched for the proper answer. Once you found it, you raised your eyebrows at them and responded, “That’s a question that you’re supposed to answer, isn’t it? I don’t think that’s an answer I’m allowed to give.”

They still stared at you silently. You couldn’t tell what they were thinking behind those goggles. Bloodhound clasped their hands behind their back and circled you slowly, still watching. They stopped when they were in front of you once again and extended their right hand to you. Making a low chuckle, they said, “Just so. Come with me.” You breathed out a sigh of relief and lifted your hand to reach out for them. Instead of a handshake, they clasped your arm firmly and you reflexively did the same back to them to seal the agreement.

* * *

Bloodhound took you to a different planet, similar to Talos but still largely untouched by modern structures. They explained that they find more creatures roaming freely here and that hunts are never interrupted. It was dark when you both started to venture away from the transportation hub, and the dawn had just started peeping through the fog as you arrived at a small cabin in a grove deep in the woods, which served as a ‘vacation’ spot to them more than anything. Their permanent home was elsewhere, though Bloodhound didn’t indicate where or if it’s even on the same planet and you thought not to ask. They warned that it will likely be an all-day venture as they showed you around their cabin and helped you gear up.

They handed over a forest green waterproof parka, lined with some sort of soft wool along the inside. “Wear this instead. Your coat is not enough.” You slipped it on and had to roll the sleeves up a little and adjust the hood due to the sizing. It was almost cliche how the fabric smelled; it was so _Bloodhound_. Dust, moss, some kind of coniferous tree bark, a trace of sap. You tucked your hands into the jacket’s deep pockets as you watched Bloodhound glide a cloth across their handaxe. They caught your eye and tilted their head knowingly, giving the axe a couple twirls with one hand. “Now the excitement begins.”

* * *

They ushered you through the journey, showing you the local flora and fauna. They narrated their behavior quietly or otherwise gestured with their hands when they couldn’t speak. Bloodhound was happy that you were learning quickly and were willing to listen. “What we’re hunting… people introduced these creatures to the area, and they were destructively invasive. Thankfully, my hunts have kept them from spreading further.” they said as you both followed the tracks of a group of the creatures that had passed through recently.

“We are close.” Bloodhound announced, and you both heard slithering movement among the ferns ahead. Three lizard creatures crept along the forest floor; their skin was dark brown with stripes of emerald green that seemed to glint off the sunlight; you estimated that each one was around four feet long from snout to tail. One of them used its claws to skitter up a tree trunk, where it found a bird’s nest. It immediately devoured the clutch of eggs, and slithered along the other high branches to look for more morsels.

Bloodhound unsheathed their axe, holding it high to aim it at the creature. They pressed their palm gently to your chest, signaling you to stay back and be alert. In one quick movement, the axe flew through the air and hit the creature in the tree square on its left shoulder. It shrieked and wriggled in pain, losing its footing and dropping to the ground. Bloodhound readied their knife and immediately darted for the creature. They kicked it over and slashed the creature open from neck to belly. 

You heard the other creatures hiss as they circled back to investigate their packmate. Bloodhound stood waiting for them, a bloodied weapon in each hand. The creatures’ mouths curled into a snarl, and you can see the rows of sharp teeth bared. One of them grunted, and both of them split apart in a pincer move to attack Bloodhound.

The creatures moved like liquid along the forest floor. One leapt up to snap at Bloodhound’s left arm; the other attempted to curl around their right leg to trap them. Bloodhound effortlessly dodged the attacks, their feet feather-light and fleeting as they swiped the knife blade at one of the lizards, catching it right in the eye. Blood spurted from the gash, and the creature’s scream of pain echoed in the air. All you could do was watch. But you thought it beautiful, as if they were caught up in a solo dance. 

The injury just made the creatures even more angry, and they swirled around Bloodhound like a whirlpool. They were not phased, however--bobbing and weaving through every movement. You heard them chuckle, and you realized then that Bloodhound was just having fun. To you, this was an activity that needed serious focus and training. For them? It was like breathing.

When Bloodhound decided that they had shown off enough, they brought the axe down on one of the creatures’ skulls. Its head made a sickening cracking sound as it split open, the flesh squelching as the axe made contact with the brain. The remaining creature lurched in the air one final time, and Bloodhound whipped the axe up and decapitated it with one swing as if they were slicing through paper. 

You approached while Bloodhound was busy slicing one of the beasts open. Not looking at you, they raised their hand up and motioned for you to come closer. Your nose wrinkled from the smell of the innards--something foul and metallic, stronger than human blood. Bloodhound dug their hand into the creature’s belly and pulled out a large round organ. They held it out to you and pointed at the storage container strapped to your back. You frowned and stuck your tongue out to signal your disgust as you set the container down and opened it. “Ugh, that’s nasty!”

Bloodhound laughed and gently stowed the organ in the container, then set to work on the other creatures. “You’re not wrong, but this gland is valuable.”

“Erm... I’m not going to ask why.”

They snorted, feeling amused, while they rooted through the remains, replying “Best not. It will make you…. 'green in the face'?”

* * *

The two of you didn’t make it back to the cabin until well after the sun had set. You both stowed your gear and Bloodhound let you shower first. The cabin effectively was just one large room; Bloodhound was always alone so they didn’t need to have any privacy for showering besides a curtain to catch the water.

They motioned towards the front door, “I will wait outside until you are done.” You nodded, and Bloodhound stepped out, leaning against the wall near the door until you finished. Once you were dressed, you poked your head outside and told them to come back. They took their gloves off on their way back in, and you couldn’t help but look at their hands. You’ve never seen any part of their skin before since they were always fully clothed, so you were curious. Blue scars were webbed all across their calloused hands; you put two and two together and realized what those markings were from. Some of it was intermingled with thin tattoo lines along the back of their hands, leading towards a design further up their arms which were obscured by the sleeves of their jacket. You spotted a couple of strange runes inked near their knuckles as well.

Bloodhound looked up and noticed you frowning. You didn’t realize that you were staring for so long, and you shook your head apologetically. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to stare. It just looks painful.”

They nodded at you as they tossed the soiled gloves in a hamper near their bed, “The pain has long since passed.”

Your eyes darted back and forth nervously and you stammered, “Oh, should probably head out, huh? Let me know when you’re done.” Before Bloodhound could say anything, you rushed out the front door. You sunk down and sat on the wooden porch. A little over twenty-five minutes had passed and Bloodhound emerged from the cabin fully dressed in fresh clothes. They donned a navy blue parka, but kept their armor and gloves off. Their helmet and goggles were cleaned up, and they substituted their usual face mask and voice enhancer attached to their back for a much simpler mask to help them breathe easier.

You stood up abruptly, and your mouth fell open as you wanted to speak, but you hesitated and no sound came out. You cleared your throat and said quietly, “I hope you’re not mad at me for staring. I wasn’t upset about seeing you. I was curious.”

“I am not angry. Don’t fret about it.” Bloodhound replied and pointed to scars on their hands “You know what these mean?” You nodded. They stood there watching you--that same curious look as if they were observing something peculiar. A long silence fell. Their gaze made you feel uncomfortable so you were trying to look everywhere else besides the lenses in their goggles--the edge of their shoulder, one of the dangling trinkets on their helmet, the collar of their jacket. Just anything else besides their eyes.

“ _Félagi_.” They paused, and when you didn’t acknowledge them they spoke again in a firm tone. “You want to see me.” Not a question. A statement of fact. You looked up at Bloodhound, your face written with shock all over it. “What?”

“My face. You want to see. You’re curious, of course?” 

  
  


“That’s not what I’m here for,” you replied sheepishly. “And you’ve never revealed your face to anyone. I wouldn’t ask.” You inhaled sharply, then exhaled slow, your breath puffing in the cold air. Your brows knitted together with concern, and you lifted your eyes to reveal a kind, yet fretful look. “I’m here for _you_.”

You started to fidget on the spot, wrestling with those burning emotions that you’ve felt since forever. You exploded.

“Okay, look, I’ve wanted to say this! I’ve wanted to say this for so long that it feels like I’m gonna burst!” you cried out, your voice aching with desperation. “This is the chance for me to say this, because I won’t say anything if I back out now!” Bloodhound heard your tone waver, as if you were on the brink of crying as you gulped in air in between your words. “And if I don’t say anything, how will I know how _you_ feel about it?”

You flexed your fingers and started wringing your hands while you looked at your feet as they scuffed at the dirt, and your voice trailed off, “You’ve never said anything … so maybe you wouldn’t feel the same. We don’t know all that much about each other, huh?”

A rush of resolve coursed through you, and you looked up to meet their gaze--a mixture of hope and fear written all over your face. “But I want to take that time to get to know more of you! So this feeling---maybe it could be something more.” You took a few steps towards Bloodhound, your hands raised up and hovering in front of them as if you were approaching a work of art that absolutely should _not_ be touched, but you were that one awful person that did not want to respect that rule. You cleared your throat, inching closer, praying that Bloodhound wouldn’t shrink away as you declared the most important thing that you’ve been waiting such a long time to say. “Do you know… that the first time I saw you hunt, you took my breath away?”

Your hands were shaking now, reaching out to finally make contact. Instinctively, Bloodhound grabbed your wrists and held them firmly. You whispered, “Please let me.” as you pressed on very carefully. They didn’t move, but their grip loosened and allowed you to keep going while their fingers were still wrapped around your wrists. They didn’t breathe a word. Their feet were rooted to the spot, and they kept their gaze on you--dumbstruck as a wave of unfamiliar warmth cascaded inside them, as if their soul had been flooded by it, like they fell into a hot spring. Your palms pressed against their chest, hands sliding up and up slowly and carefully like you were examining something delicate. You felt along the front of the coat, passing over the coat’s lapel--and you swore that you felt Bloodhound’s heart thumping beneath your palm--and you rested your hands heavily on their shoulders.

“I remember that day in King’s Canyon-- in the valley between the Hydro Dam and the Wetlands. That sniper shot whizzed by your ear, and I remember turning away from Bangalore to look at you. You yelled, ‘ _Allfather, give me sight!_ ’ and I saw that red electricity web between your fingers and your eyes burned like fire.” 

Bloodhound let out a puff of breath, and the sound had a hint of nervousness to it. You took a deep breath and exhaled heavily as well. You’re nearly stumbling anyway--may as well take the leap off the edge and let the words spill from your mouth. “Light on your feet. Faster than anything I’ve ever seen. I saw you track the enemies’ footsteps, and reared up on them so quickly that even a hollow-point round wouldn’t have been able to stop you from closing the gap. I barely had time to blink.”

You suddenly laughed nervously and shook your head. “Bangalore knew the drill and before I could even ready my gun, you had already finished one and she dropped the other cleanly.” You pressed your lips together in thought, ruminating on the next things you wanted to say. Continuing, “I remember… coming up the ridge where you were at. The last remaining enemy--the sniper-- had moved to grab their dropped gun, and you brought your boot down to stomp on their hand. I don’t know if you meant for anyone else to hear, but I watched you as you drew your knife. You twirled the blade with your fingers and told them ‘ _Never forget the eyes of Blothhundr_.’ and threw the knife at them with finesse, sinking deep in their neck.”

Their eyes flickered downward to watch you wet your lips with your tongue. They were glad that you couldn’t see their face right now. It was flushed red, hot against the goggles and the mask, and they were chewing at the corner of their lip out due to feeling so anxious. Their right canine was digging particularly incessantly into their bottom lip as you kept talking. “It was cheeky. You were wild and strong and just so confident. I admired you then. Still do. That’s why I asked if I could see you hunt. I wanted to see more of you.”

Your palms smoothed across their shoulders further, fingers gliding dangerously to their neck. “Hunting is ‘yours’, and I’m glad you wanted to share that part of you with me today.” Bloodhound shifted their weight, their hands finally falling from your wrists

“I don’t know all that much about you, but I did learn this..“ you said softly, yet the words hissed with passion between your lips. “ _The universe must’ve been made to be seen by your eyes_.”

Once those words hit their ears, they felt like a lightning bolt shot straight down their spine. A strange feeling that hitched their breath and made their skin tingle. That statement was bold, but Bloodhound could see in your eyes that your words were your truth--shining brightly as you gazed into theirs, as if you were observing something astonishing. They swallowed hard and thought that it was nearly _too_ bold to say, and nobody has ever said anything that important to them besides their uncle Artur.

Bloodhound stated in a wary tone, “It’s dangerous to boast a mortal life to the Gods’ craft in such a way.”

You felt hurt, worried that you offended them. Bloodhound saw the concern etched in your face, and they quickly caught your shoulders, their fingertips digging deep into the fabric of your jacket. Your body jerked forward, closing the gap between the two of you until you were pressed up against their chest with their arms circled around your shoulders. Bloodhound was considerably taller than you so they had to hunch their shoulders to lean their head forward to peer down at you. You shivered from the embrace, every part of your body feeling like it could turn into liquid and Bloodhound had to hold you tighter to keep you standing while you gripped their biceps.

Bloodhound felt you still trembling a little. So close. _So_ close to you that they could hear your heartbeat like a rapid drumbeat in their ears. They could smell the faint sweat on your skin. They watched your breath puff from your mouth and dissipate in the night air, and your face was so near that all they had to do was rip off the mask to taste your lips. They so desperately wanted to; their lips felt like they were buzzing with an odd ache to feel how soft your mouth would be against theirs.

There was something of a smile in their voice as they said, “But I don’t believe what you said was a bad thing. I.. appreciate it greatly.” They tilted their gaze up to the night sky to think for a moment, “I do not know if they would be insulted. Puzzled, maybe?” They pulled their hand back to thumb at your chin playfully, and they were looking in your eyes again--unbeknownst to you, searching your eyes in a sense of wonder as one tries to see everything at once in a swirling nebula or an aurora borealis.

“ _Ástfangin_ …,” they whispered, more like speaking their thoughts aloud than anything. “In love..? Truly meaning ‘ _prisoner of love_.’ Is that what you are?” 

Bloodhound truly didn’t know how to approach the situation. Past relationships were short-lived and more casual. Not lacking passion, but certainly lacking investment. They ached for love and lust as much as anyone else, but their resolve was as hard as steel and emotions like that had to fall on the wayside. They became used to a solitary life with partners coming and going. Bloodhound knew the Gods guided their fate; they couldn’t be so concerned for the fate of others if they weren’t walking the same path.

But this is different. You, so brave with your feelings, not caring how fleeting anything might be. Ready to open yourself up and throw caution to the wind. You saw something so remarkable in them that you just _had_ to say something? Meanwhile, they play their feelings close to their chest; losing family and friends along the way had kept them from wanting to forge closer bonds. Bloodhound has seen so much that hardly anything surprises them, but this? It’s a sucker punch.

Bloodhound continued, “I wonder what the Gods must think of mortals to be so wrapped up in emotion as to declare gracious things like that. Do they think we spit in their faces for loving so much? Or perhaps they are surprised that one could see so much in someone else enough to be in awe.”

You grinned and teased, “Are you secretly a poet, Blothhundr?” They suddenly looked off to the side, embarrassed, and scoffed, “ _Nei_..”

“You’re beautiful as I see you--like this.” You slid your hands up to touch around Bloodhound’s face, not sure if they would even feel it through all of the equipment. You carefully avoided interacting with the mouthpiece, but cradled their head in your hands nonetheless. They felt the fingertips of your right hand nudge against the side of their goggles. “I meant what I said. The moment I saw you, you were someone amazing to watch.”

Bloodhound replied to you with a shushing noise, feeling even more embarrassed and slightly lightheaded, their vision getting a tad foggy. Their heart thumped in their chest, overwhelmed by everything. They’ve never met someone with such intense emotions like you, who expressed them so freely. You heard them huff, almost as if they were agitated. They let go of you and stepped back, tugging at the straps that secured their helmet. “ _See me_.” they muttered under their breath. 

The helmet dropped to the ground. You gasped and waved your hands at them, “Bloth! _Don’t_!” You tugged on their sleeves to make Bloodhound pull their arms down. They slapped your hands away gently, almost playful-like, and chuckled quietly, their breath hitching in their respirator as they pulled the mask off. You watched as their mouth was revealed: soft full lips, with a jagged old scar splitting a part of their top lip on the right side. A vertical line of red paint started at their bottom lip and continued all the way down their chin. A couple other lines of paint were placed carefully across their cheeks and forehead The coolant scars marred their skin like blue veins; some areas were tinged blue where the damage was the worst.

  
  


The goggles came off next, which had dented their skin and turned it red where the edges pressed around their eyes from hours of being worn; the scars webbed across the rest of their face to stop just outside their brows and cheekbones. The low lamp light hanging from the door revealed just enough color to show Bloodhound’s eyes as hazel with a rim of green around the iris--which you noticed were a little blown out from the excitement of everything.

Bloodhound pulled off their head covering last. You saw that the coolant burns stretched all the way across their jaw and their neck, but stopped just at their hairline. The sides and part of the back of their head was shaved cleanly, and their auburn hair at the top of their head was tied back in a fishtail style braid. They exhaled sharply through their nose and raised their eyebrows at you questioningly.

Your eyes were wide, lips parted in surprise, awestruck at what just happened. The tips of your ears burned as you felt your heart race as if it were trying to survive a gauntlet run. Bloodhound watched you, chewing on the corner of their lip again. “You are staring.”

“ _Pretty_...” you whispered. Bloodhound could barely hear you.

“Huh?”

“Y-you’re so _pretty_! You’re _beautiful_!” you blurted out, your face blushing hot. “ _Handsome_! _Gorgeous_! All of those things!”

They blinked their eyes at you in surprise, and their cheeks turned pink as well, and they muttered something in their language that you couldn’t understand but you took it to mean that they were flustered.

You cleared your throat, looking down to watch your hands fiddle with the cords of your jacket’s hood, “I always thought you were anyway, before all of this. You know what I mean?”

Bloodhound smiled at you, their eyes narrowing with amusement. “I know what you meant.”

They paused, inclining their head to the side, their braid falling across their left shoulder. They seemed to rock back and forth on their heels a bit before stepping up to you. Bloodhound bent their head low to look at you right in the eyes, tilting your chin up with their hand. “I’m not able to describe my feelings as well as you do.” Their eyes flickered to peer down at your parted lips, and their skin tingled once again. “All I can say about what I want right now is that my mouth burns to feel yours.”

Before you could do anything else, Bloodhound grabbed your face and their lips crashed against yours to kiss you deeply. You felt like melting again, and you cursed your body for being weak as a result of the day-long hunt. Your body seemed to turn to jelly while it felt like stars were bursting behind your eyes. Everything was overwhelming, _so_ overwhelming and you couldn’t keep your composure at all--not that you wanted to anymore anyway. They rushed to wrap you in their arms before you fell, but it was too late and you both ended up falling in the dirt.

Their forehead knocked against yours during the fall, and you both couldn’t help but burst out laughing. You fisted the front of their jacket to yank them closer to kiss them again, and Bloodhound’s eyes rolled back slightly and fluttered closed from the sensation. They sighed as your lips left theirs and made a noise that sounded almost like a pout, their tongue licking across their lips as if to see if the taste of your mouth was still there. You leaned in and kissed them just about everywhere on their face. Their jaw, then their ear, their cheeks, above their eyes, and their forehead. Touching so soft and so light, and Bloodhound felt so warm inside. You wrapped your arms around them, and then bent their head down to press against your neck and nuzzle you there.

They reached up to trace your mouth with their fingers, wiping away some of the paint from your lips that had transferred from theirs during the kiss. But then it was also smeared around your chin and Bloodhound lamented the fact that they probably just made it worse for you, and that the paint that remained on their own face probably looked like a mess as well. They pressed their forehead to yours. Their lips brushed against your skin as they breathed out, “... _Það er rúsínan í pylsuendanum_ …”

“What does that mean?” you asked while you touched the shell of their ear; they shivered--that place was ticklish.

Bloodhound’s mouth curled into a smile. “Ah, that means… something like a happy surprise?”

**Author's Note:**

> Sleeping at Last - Saturn: "I'd give anything to hear/You say it one more time/That the universe was made/To be seen by my eyes."
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed this! I really did, and am glad that I finally wrote something for my Apex main. 
> 
> I am welcome to suggestions/prompts while the gears are still turning in my brain!


End file.
